General Information on Undergraduate Program
The objectives of the department are:
-To develop students` basic knowledge of physics in order that they can understand the rules governing the universe.
-To enhance students` ability and motivation to solve unsolved problems in various fields.
-To give broader background in math and science in order to provide a basis for branching out into variety of areas ranging from the nano-scale high-tech area to space physics.
-To prepare students to become a research scientist to make a carrier of physics and also work as a professor in a university, or to work as an applier of physics in almost all fields where science and technology have an important impact.
Outcomes
- Can understand, model and analyze the fundamental physical processes of nature.
- Can suggest mathematical models to problems they face and solve them by various (approximate/analytical/numerical) approaches.
- Can use basic measurement devices; can choose and apply the best measurement technique.
- Can adequately record their observations, e.g., in a lab book.
- Can design and carry out experiments.
- Can access scientific information sources.
- Can critically analyze and contribute to scientific information.
- Can present scientific information clearly.
- Can analyze systems that contain probabilistic parts; can do error analysis.
- Has the basic programming skills; can solve a simple physical problem or can simulate one with an appropriate language they choose.
- Can actively and skillfully conceptualize, apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate information.
- Can produce new ideas and products by using their background in physics.
- Can systematically design, evaluate, and implement a strategy to respond to an existing problem.
- Is effective in oral and written communication skills by using both Turkish and English languages.
- Can do leadership and take initiative.
- Tries to find physics based solutions to the problems of the world that we live in.
- Obeys the ethical rules in the workplace and the society and ascertains that they are obeyed by others.
- Can use the digital communication and computation tools in the most efficient and effective way.
- Can effectively use the knowledge and skills they gained in physics, in observing, analyzing, modeling and solving other societal problems.
Undergraduate Curriculum
First Year » First Semester
| Course Code |
Course Name |
METU Credit |
Contact (h/w) |
Lab (h/w) |
ECTS |
| PHYS107 | PHYSICS LABORATORY I | 2 | 1.00 | 2.00 | 7.0 |
| PHYS109 | MECHANICS | 5 | 5.00 | 0.00 | 7.5 |
| CHEM101 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I | 5 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 7.5 |
| MATH117 | CALCULUS I | 5 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 7.5 |
| ENG101 | ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES I | 4 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 6.0 |
| OHS101 | OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY-I | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
First Year » Second Semester
| Course Code |
Course Name |
METU Credit |
Contact (h/w) |
Lab (h/w) |
ECTS |
| PHYS108 | PHYSICS LABORATORY II | 2 | 1.00 | 2.00 | 7.0 |
| PHYS110 | ELECTROMAGNETISM | 5 | 5.00 | 0.00 | 7.5 |
| CHEM102 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II | 5 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 7.5 |
| MATH118 | CALCULUS II | 5 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 7.5 |
| BA100 | CAREER PLANNING | 0 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
| ENG102 | ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES II | 4 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 6.0 |
| IS100 | INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS | 0 | 0.00 | 2.00 | 1.0 |
Second Year » Third Semester
| Course Code |
Course Name |
METU Credit |
Contact (h/w) |
Lab (h/w) |
ECTS |
| PHYS200 | BASICS OF SCIENTIFIC COMPUTATION | 3 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 5.0 |
| PHYS203 | INTRODUCTORY ELECTRONICS I | 4 | 3.00 | 2.00 | 8.0 |
| PHYS209 | MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN PHYSICS I | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
| PHYS221 | OPTICS AND WAVES | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
| MATH260 | BASIC LINEAR ALGEBRA | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 5.0 |
| Any 1 of the following set |
| HIST2201 | PRINCIPLES OF KEMAL ATATÜRK I | 0 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
| HIST2205 | HISTORY OF THE TURKISH REVOLUTION I | 0 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
Second Year » Fourth Semester
| Course Code |
Course Name |
METU Credit |
Contact (h/w) |
Lab (h/w) |
ECTS |
| PHYS202 | MODERN PHYSICS | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
| PHYS210 | MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN PHYSICS II | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
| PHYS222 | OPTICS AND WAVES LABORATORY | 3 | 1.00 | 4.00 | 6.0 |
| ENG211 | ACADEMIC ORAL PRESENTATION SKILLS | 3 | 3.00 | 1.00 | 4.0 |
| | FREE ELECTIVE | | | | |
| Any 1 of the following set |
| HIST2202 | PRINCIPLES OF KEMAL ATATÜRK II | 0 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
| HIST2206 | HISTORY OF THE TURKISH REVOLUTION II | 0 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
Third Year » Fifth Semester
| Course Code |
Course Name |
METU Credit |
Contact (h/w) |
Lab (h/w) |
ECTS |
| PHYS307 | APPLIED MODERN PHYSICS | 3 | 1.00 | 4.00 | 7.0 |
| PHYS331 | ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY I | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
| PHYS335 | CLASSICAL MECHANICS I | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
| OHS301 | OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY - II | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
| | NONDEPARTMENTAL ELECTIVE | | | | |
| Any 1 of the following set |
| TURK105 | TURKISH I | 0 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
| TURK201 | ELEMENTARY TURKISH | 0 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
| TURK303 | TURKISH I | 0 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
Third Year » Six Semester
| Course Code |
Course Name |
METU Credit |
Contact (h/w) |
Lab (h/w) |
ECTS |
| PHYS300 | QUANTUM PHYSICS | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
| PHYS332 | ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY II | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
| PHYS336 | CLASSICAL MECHANICS II | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
| ENG311 | ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SKILLS | 3 | 3.00 | 1.00 | 4.0 |
| | RESTRICTED ELECTIVE | | | | |
| Any 1 of the following set |
| TURK106 | TURKISH II | 0 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
| TURK202 | INTERMEDIATE TURKISH | 0 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
| TURK304 | TURKISH II | 0 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.0 |
Fourth Year » Seven Semester
| Course Code |
Course Name |
METU Credit |
Contact (h/w) |
Lab (h/w) |
ECTS |
| PHYS400 | SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN PHYSICS | 3 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 9.0 |
| PHYS430 | STATISTICAL THERMODYNAMICS | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 10.0 |
| PHYS431 | QUANTUM MECHANICS I | 4 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 10.0 |
| | RESTRICTED ELECTIVE | | | | |
| | TECHNICAL ELECTIVE | | | | |
Fourth Year » Eight Semester
| Course Code |
Course Name |
METU Credit |
Contact (h/w) |
Lab (h/w) |
ECTS |
| | RESTRICTED ELECTIVE | | | | |
| | RESTRICTED ELECTIVE | | | | |
| | NONDEPARTMENTAL ELECTIVE | | | | |
| | FREE ELECTIVE | | | | |
| | TECHNICAL ELECTIVE | | | | |
h/w: hours per week
